March 4, 2018
Overcoming Familial Influences
It has been difficult for me to decide what my blog should centre on. I have learned so much and am eagerly looking forward to learning so much more that I can use in my life as well as help others. As I was reviewing my notes I noticed a trend in what I had recorded:
“Genetics is not destiny”; “The pattern developed in childhood with our mothers continues”; “We often carry childhood behaviours into adulthood that do not suit our evolved person”; ‘Behaviourists claim it takes three weeks to change a habit and create a new one”.
I asked myself why these thoughts resonated with me so much that I wrote them down and then I understood.
I had a very good childhood and I adored my parents but even as a young child I started to notice a difference in my mother. She was a very talented singer and vibrant but her zest for life was disappearing and her personality was changing. At first I did not understand why- naturally I thought that either I or my siblings or my Dad must be to blame but it wasn’t us.
My mother was of the generation that if a doctor told you to take a pill, you did. No questions asked. It was also the age before electronic medical records so my mother was able to have her prescriptions filled at multiple pharmacies and no one took the time to see what the overall affect of all of these different pills would be.
Well, I can tell you. She died at 42 due to addiction issues. Her body gave out. The medical profession as far as I was concerned had failed her.
My immediate reaction was that it was not going to happen to me. At first that simply meant not going to a doctor but gradually I started taking control of and responsibility for my health. I have a very co-operative, collaborative approach with my family doctor now. Whenever I have blood tests or other tests completed she provides me with the reports and we review them together to see if there is anything I should be doing to improve.
The knowledge I am gaining through this course is giving me more confidence. Friends and acquaintances are already beginning to ask me for advice and it is nice to know that I can provide them with reading material and guidance already.
The point I am making is that the more you learn about nutrition the more power you will have to take control of your life and make the choices you want to give yourself quality of life. If you honestly believe you are worth it then you will be able to make the changes and sacrifices (which won’t be sacrifices for long) that you need to do to become the healthy person you want to be.
Trust me – I am a former smoker and now I run half marathons, do duathlons and am learning to swim so perhaps a triathlon might be in my future. One thing that is certain is that helping others by sharing my learned knowledge will be an honour.
You owe it to yourself to take the first step.
